Collapsible carton adapted for



Feb. 28, 1956 K. T. BUTTERY 2,736,138

COLLAPSIBLE CARTON ADAPTED FOR POTTED PLANTS Filed March 8,1954

I I. T 'Jz 5 I ,L 1 w; 5277. 2.

IN V EN TOR.

United States Patent COLLAPSIBLE CARTON ADAPTED FOR POTTED PLANTSKenneth T. Buttery, Kalamazoo, Mich, assignor to Sutherland PaperCompany, Kalamazoo, Mich.

Application March 8, 1954, Serial No. 414,676

10 Claims. (Cl. 47-37) This invention relates to a collapsible cartonadapted for potted plants.

The main objects of this invention are:

First, to provide a carton for potted and other growing plants whichserves as an effective support and protection therefor and alsoconstitutes a display package.

Second, to provide a carton adapted for packaging plants and the likewhich enables the rapid packaging and provides an effective support forthe plant for handling and shipment.

Third, to provide a carton having these advantages which is very simpleand economical and may be quickly set up from knocked down or collapsedform.

Objects relating to structural details will appear from the descriptionto follow. The invention is defined in the claims. A structure whichembodies the features of the invention is clearly illustrated in theaccompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a top perspective view of a carton embodying my invention witha plant conventionally shown therein.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the carton and the holder associatedtherewith in disassembled relation and illustrating one of the steps inassembly.

Fig. 3 is a transverse section on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the carton blank.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the blank from which the holder member isformed.

The embodiment of my invention illustrated is primarily designed as acarton or package for potted or balled plants. The structure comprises abottom 1 having side walls 2, 2 hingedly connected thereto at 3 and endwalls 4 hingedly connected thereto at 5. The end walls have corner flapextension 6 hingedly connected thereto at 7. These corner flaps haveslits 8 extending from their side edges, providing upwardly facingtongues 9. The side walls have slits 10 through which the edges of thecorner flaps may be inserted with the tongues 9 engaging the upper edgesof the slits of the angled portions 11 of the slits as is shown in Fig.2.

The side walls have rectangular holder engaging flaps 12 hingedlyconnected to their upper edges at 13. The holder designated generally bythe numeral 14 is in the form of a rectangular tube and disposed inupright position between the side walls so that the flaps 12 of the sidewalls may be folded downwardly into the holder over the upper edges ofthe side walls thereof. Flaps 12 are of such dimensions as to fit withinthe holder, supporting it against longitudinal movement within thecarton. The holder serves as a locking or retaining means for theadjacent corner flaps, which is a desirable feature as the potted orballed plants are normally of considerable weight.

The inner wall 15 of the holder has a notch-like recess 16 opening atthe upper edge of the wall to receive the stem of the plant indicated at17 in Fig. 1 when the pot 18 of the plant is disposed horizontallywithin the holder. The end wall opposite the holder is provided with awrapper supporting flap 19. With the plant in position ICC so that theymay be formed of comparatively light stock and at the same time affordeffective protection for the packaged plant.

I have illustrated and described my invention in a highly practicalembodiment thereof. I have not attempted to illustrate or describe otherembodiments or adaptations as it is believed that this disclosure willenable those skilled in the art to embody or adapt my invention as maybe desired.

-Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. A collapsible carton adapted for potted plants comprising a bottom,side and end Walls hingedly connected thereto, the end walls havingcorner flaps provided with tongues engaged within slits providedtherefor in the side walls for holding the walls in erected position,the side walls having at one end thereof opposed rectangularholder-engaging flaps hingedly connected to their upper edges, and anopen topped rectangular tubular holder member disposed within theerected walls adjacent the end wall of the carton at the end of thecarton having said holder engaging flaps and in spaced relation from theopposite end wall of the carton, the holder engaging flaps gaging flaps,said holder flaps being of such dimension that oppositely disposed edgesthereof coact with the end walls of the holder to support the sameagainst endwise shifting movement, the outer end wall of the holder 50supported by the holder flaps being disposed adjacent and reinforcingthe end wall of the carton at the end of the carton having the holderengaging flaps, the inner end wall of the holder having an openingextending from its upper edge to receive the stem of a potted plant whenthe pot thereof is disposed horizontally within the holder.

2. A carton adapted for potted plants comprising a bottom, side and endwalls, the side walls having at one end thereof opposed rectangularholder-engaging flaps of the holder to support the same against endwiseshift-- ing movement, the outer end wall of the holder so supported bythe holder flaps being disposed adjacent and reinforcing the end wall ofthe carton at the end of the carton having the holder engaging flaps,the inner end wall of the holder having an opening extending from itsupper edge to receive the stem of a potted plant when the pot thereof isdisposed horizontally within the holder.

3. A collapsible carton adapted for plants comprising a bottom, side andend walls hingedly connected thereto, the end walls having corner flapsprovided with tongues engaged within slits provided therefor in the sidewalls for holding the Walls in erected position, the side Walls havingat one end thereof opposed holder-engaging flaps hingedly connected totheir upper edges, and an open topped holder member disposed within thewalls adjacent the end wall of the carton at the end of the cartonhaving said holder engaging flaps, the holder engaging flaps beingfolded downwardly within the holder, said holder being of dimensions tobe fittingly received within the erected Walls and sidewise supportinglyengage the said tongues at the end of the carton having the holderengaging flaps, the inner Wall of the holder having an upwardly facingopening extending from its upper edge to receive the stem of a plantwhen the pot thereof is disposed horizontally within the holder.

4. A collapsible carton adapted for plants comprising a bottom, side andend walls, the side walls having opposed holder-eng-aging flaps hingedlyconnected to their upper edges, and an open topped holder memberprovided with side and end walls disposed within the walls between saidholder engaging flaps, the holder-engaging flaps being folded downwardlywithin the holder over the upper edges of the side walls of the holderand into position to be engaged by the inner sides of the end walls ofthe holder to limit movement of the holder in the carton endwisethereof, one end wall of the holder being spaced from one of the endwalls of the carton and having an upwardly facing opening extending fromits upper edge to receive the stem of a plant when the pot thereof isdisposed horizontally within the holder.

5. A packaging carton assembly comprising a bottom and two pairs ofopposed walls, one pair of opposed walls having opposed rectangularholder-engaging flaps at one end thereof extending from their upperedges, and an open topped rectangular tubular holder having one pair ofopposed walls disposed between and parallel to the opposed walls of thecarton having the said holderengaging flaps, the holderengaging flapsbeing folded downwardly within the holder and being of such dimensionthat oppositely disposed edges thereof coact with the other pair ofopposed walls of the holder to support the same against movement endwiseof the walls having the holder engaging flaps, one of the opposed wallsof the last mentioned opposed walls of the holder being spaced from oneof the opposed walls of the other pair of spaced walls of the carton andhaving an opening extending from its upper edge to receive the stem of aplant disposed within the holder.

6. A packaging carton assembly comprising a bottom and two pairs ofopposed walls, one pair of opposed walls having opposed. rectangularholder-engaging flaps at one end thereof extending from their upperedges, and an open topped rectangular tubular holder having one pair ofopposed walls disposed between and parallel to the opposed walls of thecarton having the said holderengaging flaps, the holder-engaging flapsbeing folded downwardly within the holder and being of such dimensionthat oppositely disposed edges thereof coact with the other pair ofopposed walls of the holder to support the same against endwise shiftingmovement, the verticaldimension of the walls of the holder over whichsaid holder engaging flaps are folded approximating that of the wallsfrom which the holder engaging flaps extend. I

7. A packaging carton assembly comprising a bottom and walls includingopposed walls having opposed holderengag ng flaps extending from theirupper edges, and a tube-hke holder open at the top disposed between thewalls having the said holder-engaging flaps, the holdere ngaging flapsbeing folded downwardly within the holder to reta1n it within the wallsand against shifting movement endwise of said opposed walls, one of thewalls of the holder being disposed transverse to said opposed walls ofthe carton and in spaced relation from the opposite ends of the opposedwalls and having an opening extending from its upper edge to receive thestem of a plant disposed within the holder.

8. A packaging carton assembly comprising a bottom and walls includingopposed walls having opposed holderengaging flaps extending from theirupper edges, and a tube-like holder open at the top disposed between thewalls having the said holder engaging flaps, the holder engaging flapsbeing folded downwardly within the holder to retain it within the wallsand against shifting movement endwise of said opposed walls, one of thewalls of the holder being disposed transverse to said opposed walls ofthe carton and in spaced relation from opposite ends of said opposedwalls, the vertical dimension of the holder approximating that of theopposed walls of the carton.

9. A packaging carton assembly comprising a carton having a bottom andwalls connected thereto and disposed in rectangular form and connectedat their ends, two opposed walls having holder flaps extending fromtheir upper edges, and a holder open at the top and having wallsdisposed in rectangular form and connected at their ends, the holderbeing disposed within the carton with two opposed walls of the holder inparallel relation to and adjacent the opposed walls of the carton havingthe holder engaging flaps, the height of said opposed walls of theholder approximating that of said opposed walls of the carton, theholder flaps being folded over the upper edges of said opposed walls ofthe holder and downwardly into the holder to retain the holder in thecarton, the holder flaps when folded into the holder hav-- ingoppositely disposed edges thereof disposed adjacent the walls of theother opposed walls of the holder to support the holder against movementendwise of said opposed walls of the carton.

10. A packaging carton assembly comprising a bottom, opposed walls andwalls connecting the opposed walls at the ends thereof, the opposedwalls having holder flaps extending from their upper edges, a holderprovided with spaced members, and means connecting said spaced members,the spaced members being parallel to and adjacent said opposed walls andapproximating the height of said opposed walls, said holder flaps beingfolded over the upper edges of the spaced members and downwardly betweenthe same to retain the holder against vertical displacement relative tosaid opposed walls, certain of the edges of the holder flaps when theholder flaps are folded downwardly between the spaced members of theholder being disposed adjacent said connecting means to limit movementof the holder endwise of said opposed walls, said connecting meansincluding a member spaced from said connecting walls for said opposedwalls and having an opening therethrough for receiving a portion of anarticle therein with the article disposed on opposite sides of saidmember and between said opposed walls.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS880,549 Lord Mar. 3, 1908 918,138 Flora Apr. 13, 1909 1,159,338 PotterNov. 2, 1915 1,669,617 Kennedy May 15, 1928 2,318,711 Phelan May 11,1943 2,427,397 Ferguson Sept. 16, 1947 2,488,703 Buttery Nov. 22, 1949

